F1 Testing

F1 Testing Today: Bahrain start times, schedule and how to watch live, including for FREE

Chris Deeley Wednesday 26 February 2025 13:38 Updated: 16:24

All ten Formula 1 teams arrived in Bahrain this week for the first chance to see the 2025 cars on track.

Three hectic days of testing will start on Wednesday morning (or technically Tuesday night on the West Coast), each team's one and only chance to get their cars tuned up with on-track data before next month's season opener in Australia.

Running will be split into two sessions of four hours per day, each separated by a one hour break as teams take a 'break' to switch drivers, or implement changes on the cars to test different configurations.

Teams only run one car at a time in testing, giving each driver 12 hours apiece of driving time. They're free to arrange those sessions in whatever order they choose, but it's worth noting that every driver is expected to get four hours each on Wednesday.

F1 2025 Testing: Bahrain start times

For today's start times in the rest of the United States and in some major cities and countries around the world, please see below.

Location	Start Time
Local Time (AST)	10:00 AM
New York, United States (ET)	2:00 AM
Chicago, United States (CT)	1:00 AM
Denver, United States (MT)	12:00 AM
Los Angeles, United States (PT)	11:00 PM (Tue)
London, United Kingdom (GMT)	7:00 AM
Sydney, Australia (AEST)	6:00 PM
Adelaide, Australia (ACST)	5:30 PM
Perth, Australia (AWST)	6:00 PM
Mexico City, Mexico (CST)	1:00 AM
Berlin, Germany (CET)	8:00 AM
Tokyo, Japan (JST)	4:00 PM
Cape Town, South Africa (SAST)	9:00 AM
Cairo, Egypt (EEST)	9:00 AM
Beijing, China (CST)	3:00 PM
New Delhi, India (IST)	12:30 PM
São Paulo, Brazil (BRT)	4:00 AM
Singapore, Singapore (SGT)	3:00 PM

How to watch F1 pre-season testing on TV and live stream

Broadcast details vary depending on your location.

Wednesday's pre-season testing action from the Bahrain International Circuit is set to be shown live on ESPN+ in the United States, for example.

Elsewhere, viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the action on Sky Sports, with the broadcaster streaming the action for FREE live on their YouTube channel.

Please check below to see how to watch F1 testing in your country.

Country	Broadcaster(s)
United States	ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Mexico	Fox Sports Mexico, Televisa
Australia	Fox Sports, Foxtel, Kayo
United Kingdom	Sky Sports, Channel 4
Italy	Sky Italia
Belgium	RTBF, Play Sports
Netherlands	Viaplay, Viaplay Xtra
Spain	DAZN F1
Canada	RDS, RDS 2, TSN, Noovo
Germany	Sky Deutschland, RTL
France	Canal+
Singapore	beIN SPORTS
China	CCTV, Shanghai TV, Guangdong Television Channel, Tencent
Japan	Fuji TV, DAZN
Hungary	M4 (MTVA Sports Channel)
Brazil	Bandeirantes, Bandsports
Austria	Servus TV, ORF
Middle East & Turkey	beIN SPORTS
Africa	SuperSport
Latin America	ESPN